DEL MAR : Tight Spot Wins by a Nose, Allows Trainer McAnally to Forget Defeat

The weekend turned out all right for Ron McAnally.

The day after Bayakoa was upset by Quiet American in the San Diego Handicap, Tight Spot put McAnally in the winner’s circle Sunday with a narrow victory over favored Itsallgreektome in the $107,600 La Jolla Handicap.

Ridden perfectly by Eddie Delahoussaye, the 3-year-old His Majesty colt tracked pacesetter Forest Glow most of the way, drew clear into the stretch, then held off the 9-5 choice to win by a nose in 1:41 4/5 for the 1 1/16 miles on turf.

This was the fourth victory in 11 starts for the 2-1 second choice, but he is unbeaten in two tries on the grass. He is bred for success on turf--his dam, Premium Win, is by Lyphard--and he had worked well over the surface last winter at Santa Anita.

“He’s a different horse on the turf,” McAnally said. “I told Eddie I figured he’d be laying second. I was happy with how he rode him, but the margin was getting shorter and shorter at the wire. I thought (Itsallgreektome) was the one to beat. This takes a little of the sting out of Bayakoa’s loss.”

No doubt, those sentiments were shared by Frank and Jan Whitham.

Bayakoa’s owners own Tight Spot in partnership with Verne Winchell, Rick Corradini and Frank Anderson.

Delahoussaye, who has been aboard Tight Spot for three of his four lifetime victories, said the margin would have been a bit more decisive if not for an incident in the first turn.

“He broke running and I had just gotten him to relax when he jumped on me,” he said.

“There’s a spot where the grass is cut shorter and, when he saw it, he bobbled. It cost me about a length because he went from a half-length behind (Forest Glow) to a length and a half behind. You can’t afford to be giving away lengths with horses like this.

“I think he would have won a lot easier if that hadn’t happened. But, it all turned out OK. He took off when I asked him. He really got in gear and I really got after him in the stretch because he tends to want to pull up when he gets to the lead.

“I didn’t know if I’d won it or not. The other horse was outside and I had my head down, but he hung on.”

With Tight Spot and Silver Ending, McAnally is sitting pretty for the Del Mar Derby Aug. 19,but Delahoussaye has a choice to make between the two.

He rode the latter for the first time in the Swaps when Silver Ending was second to Jovial.

“I don’t think they’ll get in each other’s way,” said McAnally. “Tight Spot has speed and Silver Ending is a closer.”

Tight Spot paid $6.60 to win and the $62,100 payday pushed his earnings to $229,550.

Itsallgreektome, who won the Spotlight and Will Rogers at Hollywood Park, was four lengths clear of Music Prospector, the 2-1 third choice.

Green’s Leader, Forest Glow and Barton Dene completed the order of finish.

“Coming down the stretch, I thought I was going to catch the leader,” said Julio Garcia, who rode Itsallgreektome for the first time, replacing the injured Corey Nakatani.

“But, in the last jump, I knew I had just missed him. My horse tried his best. He ran a good race.”

Making his first U.S. turf start, Music Prospector was never a factor, but Gary Stevens thinks he could be heard from in the Del Mar Derby.

“He ran a good race,” he said. “I let him settle too much coming away from (the gate) and the slow pace hurt him.

“He was coming on and he ran a big race to run third. He (trainer Steve Miyadi) asked me about the Derby and I told him to go ahead and run him back because it could set up a little better for him. The extra distance, a bigger field and a better pace up front could make a big difference.”

Robbie Davis, who injured his back while pulling up a horse a week ago today, is receiving daily therapy.

“It’s lumbar displacement,” said Jeff Franklin, Davis’ agent. “On Friday, his back looked like Mulholland Drive.

“But, his condition has improved with the therapy. Dr. (Robert) Kerlan recommended a sports therapist at Scripps La Jolla he’s been working with. It’s a day-to-day thing.”

On the subject of Bayakoa, McAnally said all was well with the champion mare the morning after Quiet American beat her by 2 1/4 lengths while carrying seven fewer pounds (122-115).

“She got beat,” said McAnally, who will leave for Saratoga today for his induction into the Hall of Fame Thursday. “The weight difference didn’t help her any. The horse that beat her was one of the choices in the Santa Anita Handicap.

“On the scale, she gave him 12 pounds. She ran as well as she could. We’ll nominate to the Chula Vista Handicap (Sept. 1) and see what takes shape.”

Quiet American, who was making his first start since mid-April, will go next in either the Cabrillo (Aug. 25) locally or the Woodward (Sept. 15) at Belmont Park.

“If I go against Criminal Type and get weight from him and can’t beat him, I’d be foolish to go back to New York against him in the Breeders’ Cup (Classic) carrying equal weights,” trainer Gary Jones said.

Delahoussaye and Laffit Pincay both won twice Sunday. Pat Valenzuela, who won the third with Sassy Slew, leads the jockey standings with 16 victories.

A field of nine 2-year-olds was entered for Wednesday’s $75,000 De Anza Stakes at six furlongs. Topping the field are Iroquois Park, who will be adding blinkers for Wayne Lukas, and maiden winners Xray and Southern Justice.